Great piece, Tom. Somebody had to write this, and I am glad you penned it.

We do need a better legal (and political) framework to ensure citizens' privacy. But instead, with little engagement in political and legislative processes, it almost feels like the entire tech industry has already olled over. It is a shame.

Interesting comment from a friend who visited St Petersburg -- he happended to go on a tour that included the KGB station house there -- The tour guide indicated that you could see Siberia via the back door.

The reality is that we could obliterate hundreds of thousands of people before any electronics other than a few telegraphs existed -- The US civil war cost more lives than any conflict the US has been in before, or since. It seems that rather than just agreeing to disagree about the issues and trying to benevolently govern, the country, and leadership is becoming quite divided over many issues.

Electronic surveilence is a two edged sword like any technology -- It can just as easily be used to harm the inocent, as to stop a tragedy. I myself find that most of my communications I use to work with is under constant attack from a variety of sources. If one does work related to exports to one country -- several others will use any means to stop the work. If one does work for a US company then foriegn companies try and stop the work and so on.

In conjunction with unveiling of EE Times’ Silicon 60 list, journalist & Silicon 60 researcher Peter Clarke hosts a conversation on startups in the electronics industry. One of Silicon Valley's great contributions to the world has been the demonstration of how the application of entrepreneurship and venture capital to electronics and semiconductor hardware can create wealth with developments in semiconductors, displays, design automation, MEMS and across the breadth of hardware developments. But in recent years concerns have been raised that traditional venture capital has turned its back on hardware-related startups in favor of software and Internet applications and services. Panelists from incubators join Peter Clarke in debate.